Over 13,000 Iranian students study in Italy, making up the largest foreign group at Italian universities. According to the Ministry of University and Research's most recent statistics for the 2023/2024 academic year, there were 13,068 Iranian students enrolled in Italian universities. The ministry takes into account those who graduated in their home country and moved to Italy specifically to pursue their education. Turkey is in second place, with less than half of Iranian university students (6,404), while China is in third place with 6,065. The number of Iranian university students has increased significantly since 2018. They have quintupled in just a few years. The increase relies on the regular development of migratory flows, which is aided by personal ties and word-of-mouth, as well as ministry calls and scholarships aimed to support the arrival of international university students in Italy. However, there are additional factors that encourage young Iranians to emigrate, such as the theocratic regime's policies that violently suppress dissent and limit rights.